


That Fateful Night

by WhyDidntYouLetMeSaveYou



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Character Death, Courage, Gen, Post - Order of the Phoenix, Post-Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-01
Updated: 2012-11-30
Packaged: 2017-11-19 23:11:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 4,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/578659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhyDidntYouLetMeSaveYou/pseuds/WhyDidntYouLetMeSaveYou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Death Eaters have Dumbledore cornered, and Snape is about to kill him. Harry won't let that slide.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

He was not watching this happen. Dumbledore had just placed Harry in a full body bind curse, and now they were watching Snape walk up to the entourage of Death Eaters.

            “Severus….please.” Dumbledore pleaded

Harry was yelling every curse know to man. He had to break out of this curse. He would not allow Snape to kill Dumbledore.

            “The boy does not seem able to do it.” A death eater whispered to Snape.

            “Quiet.” Snape snapped as he raised his wand.

He was about to use the Unforgivable that would take the greatest wizard from the world, and Harry would not sit and watch. Harry suddenly fell backwards, he had managed to break out of the curse. He didn’t have time to figure out how he did it though. Harry got up off the ground, still under the invisibility cloak, and took off running toward Dumbledore and the death eaters.

            Harry could hear Snape begin to say, “Avada.” and that only made Harry run faster. Harry slowed down, because he was now standing in front of Dumbledore, still under the invisibility cloak. It didn’t register in Harry what he was doing.

            “Kedavra.” Snape finished.

Everything had gone from Harry as he was blasted into the air and landed with a loud thud, the cloak coming off his lifeless body.


	2. Chapter 2

“What the hell happened?” Bellatrix questioned when the spell did not effect its intended target.

            It puzzled Snape as well, but soon he found his answer. There was a loud thud of a body hitting the ground a few feet behind Dumbledore. The fear in Dumbledore’s eyes told Snape that what just happened was not good. Dumbledore turned around.

            “Harry.” He cried weakly, tears coming to his eyes at the sight of the boy’s broken body.

            “Shit.” Snape growled under his breath.

Dumbledore turned to face Snape, he was about to say something, but he didn’t have a chance.

            “Avada Kedavra.” Snape shouted. The spell caught Albus Dumbledore in the chest, sending him flying out of sight. Once Dumbledore was no longer in sight, Snape ran toward Harry’s body.

            “Snape, He was the Dark Lord’s…” Bellatrix began.

            “I know how to fix it. Continue on with the plan.” Snape barked, cutting her off.

Bellatrix was taken aback, but she followed Snape’s orders, seizing Draco violently by the wrists, and they ran toward the boundaries of the school.

            “Damn it Potter. You just had to do the Gryffindor thing. You can be so stupid Potter.” Snape swore under his breath.

            “Professor Snape.” A voice squeaked. Snape turned around as he pulled the Invisibility cloak off the rest of Harry’s body. A little house elf was standing behind him. “Dobby has come to help sir.”

            “But I…” Snape growled, but then stopped. He knew how to bring Harry back, but he would have to give up so much. “Dobby, I need your help. Harry was hit with a killing curse and I know how to bring him back. I need you to go down to my classroom and find a bottle of memory elixer, then come back. Do not talk to anyone.”

            With a crack, Dobby disappeared

            “I’m so sorry, Harry.” Snape muttered as he conjured a vial, scroll and quill from the air.

            Snape placed the tip of his wand on his temple and pulled out three memory strands. He placed them in a vial, put a stopper in it, and laid the vial in the grass. Snape proceeded to pick up the scroll and quill and wrote something down, waiting for Dobby to come back. There was a loud crack that caused Snape to look up.

            “Dobby has brought you the memory elixer.”

            “Thank you Dobby.” Snape folded up the scroll and wrote Potter on the front.       “Now I want you to listen to me. Potter’s magical core has been destroyed, and I want you to give him mine.”

            “But….”Dobby began to protest.

            “Don’t say no. You can perform this magic and only you can do it. I understand what this means and I know that it has to be like this. Now once this magic is performed, I need you to do something. Are you listening to me?”

            “Yes.”

            “You must follow every instruction to the letter. Can you do that?”

            “Yes sir.”

            “Alright. Once the magic is performed, I need you to give Potter three drops of the memory elixer. It has to be precisely three drops. Then you will placed Harry’s wand in his hand, moved me over there…” Snape pointed to an area about fifteen feet from Harry. “and you will place my wand next to me. Then you must wait until someone comes and finds us. Harry will be unconscious, and everyone will think that we fought. You must wait three days after he wakes up to give him this…” Snape held up the piece of parchment and the vial. “He must not know that you gave this to him. It is to be left by his bed in Gryffindor tower. He must not know what happened until he reads this. I am forbidding you from telling him what happened. Do you understand?”

            “Yes Dobby understands. Are you sure that you want to do this sir?”

            “I’m sure. I have done all I could do.”

Snape looked down as pain spread through his arm. He was being summoned by Voldemort. Bellatrix, no doubt, had told him what happened, and now he wanted to hear what Snape had to say.

            “Do it now Dobby.” Snape growled as he placed his hand on Harry’s chest, right over his heart.

            Dobby did not argue. He placed a hand on Snape’s shoulder, and began to speak in a dead language. At first, Snape felt nothing, but after a few seconds it felt like someone had his him with a curse. Snape gasped for breath as the pain grew. Now it felt like someone was choking him, and his breathing became labored. Snape looked up at Dobby, but the did not make eye contact. Dobby concentrated on Harry, not wanting to get distracted. Snape was not on his hands and knees. Snape couldn’t breathe, and it felt like he was begin tortured to death. The pain was worse than death. His insides were on fire and the pain was to much to handle. Snape had been trying to fight it, but he no longer could.

            “I’m sorry Harry.” Snape whispered. That was the last thing he did.

Snape collapsed to the ground, his hand still laying on Harry’s chest. Dobby spoke for a few more seconds in the strange language before stopping. Dobby picked up the bottle of memory elixer, and placed three drops into Harry’s mouth. He placed the bottle down, then rolled Snape away from Harry, and laid his wand besides him. Dobby placed Harry’s wand in his hand, then picked up the vial and parchment. Dobby stared at the scene. He could not believe that Snape, who hated Harry and was hated by Harry, just gave his life up. Professor Severus Snape had died so that Harry could live.


	3. Chapter 3

A flash of green light caused Harry’s eyes to fly open as he sat bolt up right.

            “Harry.” Hermione yelped as he sat up. She wrapped her arms around him tightly.

Harry was lying in a bed in the hospital wing, and he had no idea what happened.

            “Harry, we were so worried.”

            “What happened?” Harry questioned as he put his glasses on.

There was a pain in Harry’s chest that could only be explained as a spell that hit him square in the chest.

            “We don’t really know what happened. We were patrolling the corridors like you asked, and all of the sudden it was dark. Draco came storming out of the room of requirement, but we couldn’t stop him. Lupin said that Draco was leading a group of death eaters through the school.”

            “Who died Hermione?” Harry questioned, remembering the dark mark that they saw over the tower.

            “A death eater died and…”Hermione’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Snape and Dumbledore also died.”

            Harry sat in silence for a long time in shock. He could not believe that they were dead. They were people that Harry thought would be around forever.

            “How did they die?” Harry mumbled after a few minutes of silence.

            “Well, it’s not really clear how it happened. What people have told us is that they think Snape killed Dumbledore.” Hermione began.

            “Does that make sense? I mean Dumbledore trusted him.”

            “It does make sense Mate.” Ron answered. “Snape went and joined the death eaters as they ran around the school.”

            It made a lot of sense to Harry. He always thought that Snape was a death eater, and he didn’t see why Dumbledore trusted him.

            “What happened after that?” Harry questioned

            “Some people think that you were there when Snape killed Dumbledore. You were angry at Snape, and you guys fought.” Hermione began to choke up. “You killed Snape, Harry.”

            Harry felt like he was ready to kill someone. He was angry at himself. He had killed Snape and he couldn’t remember it. He couldn’t of killed Snape. Even though they hated each other, Harry never thought about killing Snape.

            “I didn’t kill him. No…..No I couldn’t of killed him.”

            “That’s what it looked like.” Ron mused.

            “I couldn’t of killed him.” Harry repeated, tears started coming to his eyes.

            “Why do you think that?” Hermione asked

            “Because I don’t remember it. I would remember killing someone!” Harry shouted.

            “What do you mean that you don’t remember?”

            “I don’t remember killing Snape or watching Dumbledore die. The last thing that I remember is seeing the mark. I really don’t remember.” Harry began to cry.

            Hermione tried to comfort Harry, but she couldn’t figure out what to say. She placed a hand on Harry’s arm, and that was all she could think of doing.

            “I couldn’t of killed him.” Harry mumbled.

Thinking that Snape was dead didn’t make Harry as sad as Dumbledore’s death, but if Harry had killed Snape….The idea was unbearable.

            “Who told you that I killed him?” Harry asked as he wiped tears from his face.

            “Lupin found you and Snape, but no one saw the fight take place. It’s okay if you don’t remember, maybe it will take you a while.”

            Hermione had good intention, but her words didn’t comfort Harry. He had a feeling that he would never remember what happened that night.


	4. Chapter 4

Harry was released from the hospital wing the next morning and, with Ron and Hermione, made his way up to Gryffindor tower. The teachers ended all of their classes, and the students would go home after Dumbledore’s funeral. Last night, Professor McGonagall came to speak to Harry.

            _“Harry, can you tell me what happened?”_

_Harry sat silently, not wanting to answer any questions. He was still in shock that he killed Snape, and Dumbledore was gone._

_“Did Snape kill Professor Dumbledore?” She questioned, but Harry still did not answer._

_“Did you kill Professor Snape?” Harry was tired of hearing questions._

_“I don’t remember.” Harry mumbled._

_Professor McGonagall sat in silence, having no idea what to say next._

_“Professor, what will happen to the school?” Harry questioned._

_McGonagall sighed before answering._

_“We don’t know. Some feel we should send the students home…”_

_“You can’t.” Harry interrupted. “The students will want to say good…” but Harry couldn’t finish._

_“As for next year.” she continued. “some think that the school should remain open, others believe that it should remain close.”_

_“Why? Hogwarts will be the safest place next year. I know a lot of people think of Hogwarts as their home, so if someone wants to come, then it should remain open.”_

_“I agree with you, Harry. What were you and Dumbledore doing tonight?”_

_“I’m sorry, but I promised him that I wouldn’t tell anyone. I plan on keeping that promise.”_

_Harry’s professor did not say anything as she got up and left the Hospital wing._ Now that they were walking toward the tower, Harry felt something in his pocket. He stopped and pulled the locket out of his pocket that he and Dumbledore went to retrieve so long ago. The locket was open and there was a piece of parchment inside it. Something was wrong with the locket. It did not look like the locket that Harry had seen in the memories, and there was no ornate “S” on it.

            “What’s wrong?” Hermione asked, now noticing that Harry stopped walking.

Harry unfolded the parchment and read it

_To the dark lord,_

_I know by the time that you have read this, I will be dead_

_I want you to know that I have found the Horocrux_

_and intend to destroy it as soon as I can_

_I face death in the hope that when you meet your match_

_You will be mortal once more_

_R.A.B_

Dumbledore had died for nothing. Harry crumpled the note in his hand as he threw the locket against the wall. He sat down on the stairs, placed his head in his hands, and cried. He felt like a cry baby, but he couldn’t help it. His emotions had just overflowed, and he couldn’t believe that the locket was a fake. Hermione came and sat by Harry, wrapping an arm around him. Ron was still standing up, trying to figure out who R.A.B was.

            “Harry, you know that everything will be okay. Dumbledore would want you to keep going.”

            “I’m not giving up Hermione.” Harry said as he wiped the tears from his eyes.

            “I don’t know what you’re going through and I really can’t imagine it. I want you to know that we will be there.”

            “I know. Thank you Hermione.”

Harry stood up and offered a hand to Hermione. Hermione stood up, and handed the locket to Harry, before they continued up to Gryffindor tower. No one except the three of them and the teachers knew that Snape killed Dumbledore. That was how the teachers wanted it. They were going to have Snape’s funeral before Dumbledore’s. Harry didn’t know how he would react, but he did know that he would act appropriately at Snape’s funeral. Some students like him, which Harry didn’t understand, but he would respect the way that they felt. What Harry did know was that he had only three days left in the castle before he would go and finish what Dumbledore started.


	5. Chapter 5

Harry awoke and laid in bed. The past couple days had been crazy. There were parents who had come and pulled their children out of school. Seamus had gotten into a shouting match with his mother, who wanted to take him home. Seamus wouldn’t go, he wasn’t coming home till he could say his goodbyes. Now today was the day to do that.     Harry rolled over and tried to go back to sleep, seeing as it was about three in the morning. It didn’t work. He had too many thoughts flying around in his head.  Harry sat up and swung his feet over the side of his bed. There was a flash of lighting. The weather outside fit Harry’s mood very well. Shoving his glasses on his face, Harry looked over to his bedside table. His hand hit something hard and glass-like.

            There was a folded piece of parchment with his name on it, and a glass vial filled with a slivery blue liquid in it. Harry looked at the vial, knowing that it was someone’s memories, but unsure whom it belonged to. Hoping to find answers, Harry unfolded the parchment.

            _Potter, take these memories and look at them. They will explain everything. Once you do that, open this parchment again. What is seen or read is not to be repeated to anyone.”_

There was no name attached to the note, but Harry did as it said. Sliding his shoes on, he grabbed the vial, note, his invisibility cloak, the maraders map and he left Gryffindor tower. Harry slowly walked toward Dumbledore’s office, the only place that he could view his memories. Pouring the memories in, he paused before diving in. Who’s memories would he see? Dumbledore’s?…..Lupin’s? Harry had no idea, but it didn’t matter. Being able to see someone else’s thoughts would be a blessing right now.

            Harry plunged head first and fell into a park. There was a small boy hiding behind the bushes. Harry cautiously approached the boy. The boy was a younger Professor Snape. These were Professor Snape’s memories.

 


	6. Chapter 6

Harry sat on the floor, totally thrown off by his Professor’s memories. Professor Snape knew his mother. They were best friends in school, but he made a mistake and she never forgave him. Harry knew that Professor Snape was the reason that his parents were dead, but his Professor seemed so distraught over his mother’s death. Professor Snape was a spy for Dumbledore, he was on Dumbledore’s side ever since Lily was marked for death. He protected Harry over the school years. He killed Dumbledore because Dumbledore was already dying.

            Remembering what the parchment said, Harry opened it once more. It took a second for words to appear on the parchment. Once they did, Harry was beyond surprised.

            _Harry,_

_Now that you have seen my memories, you must have a lot of questions. As you saw, I have always been on your side since your family had been marked for death. When I saw you that first year, I saw a child who looked like my worst enemy, but had my best friend’s eyes. I am sorry for the way that I treated you. No one should ever be treated that way. I am sorry that your parents had to die because of the knowledge that I had come by._

_You may of heard things that will scare you, but you must know that you have people watching out for you. You will be given the tool that you need to end the war, but they will come when the moment is right. You need to end the war because if you don’t then our deaths will mean nothing._

_You may have some questions about the night that Albus and I died. I, most unwillingly, agreed to kill Albus and that was the night we agreed on. The spell that was meant to kill Albus….hit you instead, because you jumped in front of the curse. You were hidden under your invisibility cloak, and it came off of you when you hit the ground. I killed Albus and sent the Death Eaters off._

_I had destroyed your magical core, and with some help, I gave you mine. I gave you my life because I knew that you had a job to do, and I had done mine. I died for you. I am sorry that I had to put you through all of these emotions. People had to think that you killed me because I killed Dumbledore._

_I am sorry for everything that I put you through. It is not your fault that Albus and I died. I gave my life so that you could live. I know that you can do this. You are so much like your mother. I know that I will see you again someday, and I will be proud of you no matter what happens._

_Professor Severus Snape._

 

Reading the letter cause Harry to cry. He didn’t kill his Professor. Harry read the letter over and over again as the sun began to creep through the windows. He folded the letter and put it in his pocket. He would keep it forever and he would remember the things that he saw. Getting up and leaving the office, Harry thought about Snape. When Harry arrived at Gryffindor tower, he grabbed a piece of parchment. He had to write down something that he couldn’t forget.

When he finished, Harry put his robes on. The funerals were going to start in an hour.


	7. Chapter 7

There were rows of chairs sitting on the grounds. Witches and Wizards, who had been arriving at Hogsmead since yesterday, were now on the grounds. Not a single chair was empty. A wood casket sat in front of all the chairs, the casket that held Professor Snape. The teachers spoke and the all told good stories about the Professor. When the teachers had spoken, Professor McGonagall stood.

            “If there are any students who wish to say a few words about Professor Snape, you may come forward.” She sat down and no one got up.

            None of the students had any courage to say anything. Not even students from his own house. Harry thought it was wrong that none of the students would speak. Harry stood up from his seat and walked up to the casket. Stopping a few feet in front of the casket, Harry turned to face the crowd.

            “Many of you know that me and Professor Snape didn’t see eye to eye, but that didn’t mean that I didn’t respect him. He was a good teacher and a good man. He faced many hard times and he made some sacrifices that I’m not even sure that I could make. Many people didn’t know where Professor Snape’s loyalties were, and they didn’t trust him. If Headmaster Dumbledore could trust him, then we should of trusted him.”

            “He was one of the greatest teachers the school has ever seen. He was a good man and he taught me some valuable things. He will be sorely missed, and all I can say to him is….thank you professor.” Harry turned, walked up to the casket, and placed a hand on it. “Thank you so much Professor. I’m going to make things right.” Harry whispered, then walked back to his seat.

            No one else spoke. While they lowered Professor Snape into the ground, Harry cried.


	8. Chapter 8

The funerals were finished and people were filing out. When everyone had gone, there were still a few people sitting in their seats. Harry was one of those people. He sat in silence, crying. He was crying because he would never speak to Dumbledore, but he was crying even harder because Professor Snape had to practically kill himself, so that Harry could live. That never should of happened. Someone came and sat in the row in front of Harry, but he didn’t pay attention to who it was.

            “Harry.” A woman’s voice called.

Harry looked up and saw Professor McGonagall sitting in front of him.

            “Yes, Professor.” Harry replied, wiping tears from his eyes.

            “Would you like to talk about how you are feeling?”

            “Not really, Professor.” Harry mumbled.

            “You never cease to amaze me, Harry.”

            “Why is that?”

            “I knew that there had to be one person who wanted to say something about Professor Snape. I didn’t think that the someone would be you. That was something that took a lot of courage.”

            “Thank you, Professor.”

It was silent as tears started coming to Harry’s eyes again.

            “You know that Dumbledore thought very highly of you. You meant the world to him.” She told Harry. “Now you should get packed. The train leaves in an hour.”

            McGonagall said as she stood up. Harry stood up and walked back to the castle, realizing that it would be the last time that he would enter the castle for a long time. Harry was not coming back next year.


	9. 20 Years Later

“Hey Dad, can you tell me where my name comes from?” Albus Severus asked.

Harry looked up, from the Daily Prophet, at his son. Albus was home from the holidays.

            “Am I really named after a headmaster and professor from Hogwarts?”

            “You are.” Harry answered.

            “What were they like?”

            “Well.” Harry placed the paper down on the table. “Your first name comes from the headmaster that I had, Albus Dumbledore.”

            “I’ve heard of him.” Al shouted. “We talked about him in history of magic. He fought against Voldemort in the two wars.”

            “That’s right. Dumbledore was a very smart man, but he kept things private. He only trusted a few people.”

            “Did he trust you?”

            “He did, but only with certain pieces of information. Your middle name comes from the potions master that I had, Severus Snape.”

            “Didn’t he kill Dumbledore?”

            “He did, but it’s not what you think.”

            “What do you mean?”

            “Well, Dumbledore was very sick, and he knew that he was going to die in a year. So he asked Professor Snape to kill him, but he could only do it when the time was right.”

            “What did you think about him?”

            “At first, I thought that Professor Snape was a bad man. However, when Snape died, I found out that he was a good man.”

            “What made you think that?”

            “Snape showed me some information that I didn’t know.” Tears came to Harry’s eyes. “I found out that my Professor was a courageous man, and he placed himself in danger to protect people. He protected the ones that your grandmother loved.”

            “Did he go to school with grandma, grandpa, and uncle Sirius and Lupin?”

            “He did, but Professor Snape was only friends with your Grandmother.”

            “Did you really kill him?” Al questioned, obviously nervous.

Harry was afraid that the question would come up at some point in the conversation.

            “What does your history Professor tell you?”

            “He says that you were there when Snape killed Dumbledore, and you were so angry that you killed him in a duel.”

            “Well, what do you think?”

            “I think that you didn’t, but I also think that you did, but you didn’t mean to.”

Al looked up at Harry waiting for an answer.

            “I’m going to tell you to believe what you want, but both of your ideas are correct.”

            “How did they help in the wars?” Al questioned with wide eyes.

            “Al.” Ginny called.

            “That is a story for another time.” Harry said. “You have to promise me that you will not tell anyone at school. It is our little secret.”

            “Al, can you come here?” Ginny called again.

            “I will Dad.”

            “Good.” Harry grinned. “Now go to your Mother before she gets angry.”

Albus Severus ran off to find Ginny as Harry sat back and smiled. He knew that would not be the last time that the would have to tell his son about Professor Severus Snape, A man that Harry looked up to, and his son would idolize.


End file.
